Process of extracting potassium chlorid from seaweed.



PATBNTED JULY 17, 1906.

1). M. BALGH.

PROCESS OF EXTRAUTING POTASSIUM GHLORID PROM SEAWEED. APPLICATION FILED 00127. 1904.

fie, 825,953.

tessiurn Chlorid from Fuci and tain very little cellulose an line salts inc osed within a tough elastic skin ish their watery par ts, their form shrinks and arren s ares PATENT OhhiOEi DAVID M. BALOH, OF CORONADO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALE TO ANSON P. STEPHENS, OF CORONADO, CALIFORNIA.

iRUCESEB CF EXTfiACTlNC-Ti POTASSIUM CHLOFHD FROM SEAWEED.

I no. 825,958.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, DAVID M. BALCH, a citizen of the United States, residing at (Zoronsdo, in the county of San Diego and State of Oalifornia, have invented new and useful improvements in Processes for Extracting Po- Algae, of which the following is a specificatio r in a atent granted to me December 15, 1902, l 0. 747,291, I described a process for extracting said salts from seaweed and in said process described therein that the first step was to thoroughly sun-dry the weeds, after which they were coarsely cut or broken up. Experience obtained since said patent was granted has demonstrated that the preliminary operation as described in said patout will not save all of the salts contained in said Weeds. The Weeds in their natural condition'as they come from the salt Water are of considerable bulk and wei ht. They conare composed chiefly of ve etable elly saturated with alkaor wallbf tissue, which give the plants their form. W hen these plants are exposed to conditions which evaporate, drive oil, or dimmtheir saline constituents begin to ap war on the surface of the weed in the form oi a deli-' cote efilorescence or in crystalline crusts. Now if the weeds while drying are freely exposed to the weather un l'otcctcd by an inclosure, eventhough it e rainlcss, a largo portion of the exuded salts is removed by the wind and night-dews and is lost.

It is the object of my invention to save these exuded salts and also by proper munagementend control of heat, moisture, and air to separate from the jelly that contained it and bring to the surface of the wood as 5 much of its saline matter as is practicable. l, accom lish this object by the process dcscribe herein, and I have illustrated in the accompanying drawing an apparatus used in carrying out my improved process, the drawing eing a pers cctive view of a dryinghouse with the BBL broken away for clcarncss of illustration, in which the seaweeds are dried.

' The floor 1 is formed of any suitable matcrial which is impervious to moisture. At a suitable distance above the floor is a latticework platform 2, upon which the seaweeds specification of Letters Patent.

Eatented July 1'7, 1906. 19414. Serial No. 230,273.

3 are placed to be dried. are doors 5, which may be opened for placing the Weeds upon the drying-platform and to enable the same to be removed when desired. Suitable openings 6, controlled by dampers 7, are provided near the top of the back wall to permit the moisture from the plants to escape out of the drier. O enings 8, controlled by :lam mm 9, are 1OI0V1d6d'1181L1 the bottom of the ack wall to regulate the amount of air that is errnittcd to enter the drier. The top 6 5 of the rier is preferably slanting and formed of a glass frame 10, so that the boat of the sun may be utilized in drying the weeds. 1 have provided a coil of steam-pipes 11 to dry the weeds, through which steam from a source of supply (not shown) is passed. Any other means may be used for furnishing artiiicial heat to dry the weeds. After the weeds are thoroughly dried the exuded salts can be separated therefrom by beating the same lightly or by other mechanical agitation, after which the dried weeds may be trcatcd as described in my Patent No. 747,291. The exuded salts obtained by this process are a nearly pure potassium chlorid and may constituto about forty per cent. of the salts contained in the woods they come from the ocean.

At first evaporation is pushed as rapidly as )ossiblc with full sunshine and ventilation; but when the material has lost about one-half of its weight and an cfllorcscerice oi saltsbcgins to appear on the bladders and fleshy stems of the weeds the heat and air supply arc to be diminished, for the outer skin or c membrane of the plant is now in condition under the inllucncc of the moist air surroundin, it to separate and bring to the surface the saline constitutcnts of the vegetable jolly contained in the Wood. This process, which can best be described and explained as a crudc form of dialysis, goes on as long as the skin of the plant is in a condition to perform its functions. Nhcn the weeds are well covered with a heavy eiilorcsccncc, they are to be dried oii rapidly by full sun and air supply, after which the exuded salts are separated, as before described. The process is easily applicable to large masses of raw material and yields very satisfactory results, the salts usually, amounting to forty per cent. of the total amount contained in the Weed and sometimes a g eater per cent. The salts are In the back Wall 4 55 cleanly andperfectly seperatedirom the vege- I sists infirst sweatingsnd drying-the Weeds in table jelly that contained them'e, feat not an inelosure and then separating the exudet before acccmplished as eresuli", of, e, manufsalts therefrom by mechanical-agitation.

turing procesgexccpt by destroying the jelly 1n Witness that I claim the foregoing I x 5 5 by fire-and are a. nearly pure potassium chlohave hereunto subscribed my name this 18th rid. day of @ctober, 19M.

Hevin described my invention Whet' I claim. esiew, and desire to secure by Letters DAVID BALOH" Patent, is Witnesses: m The herein-described process of obtaining J. L. FREELAND, potassium chlorid mm seaweeds which con- E. T. OFFICER. 

